Braggart Fox DisciplineThe vulsune are a cunning folk, and none exemplify this more than the adepts of the Braggart Fox discipline. Practitioners of an ancient style of swordplay, trickery, and illusion, the Braggart Fox adepts follow the legends and teachings of Robin Reynald, an ancient vulsunian war-hero. According to their folklore, Reynald was able to stupefy his foes with his wits, charms, and swordplay. A naturally magical and trickster race, the vulsune find the path of a Braggart Fox adept natural to them, and the discipline is partially named for its boastful founders.

The Braggart Fox temples of study are particularly hard to find, being hidden deep within the vulsunian lands. This makes becoming an adept of the Braggart Fox discipline extremely difficult for those outside of their culture and favor; the vulsune take great pride in their martial arts and do not teach these secrets to just anyone. An adept must display potential with the illusory arts before the vulsune will even think of admitting an outsider to learn the ways of the Braggart Fox.

The key skill of the Braggart Fox discipline is Bluff, as lying is the simplest way to alter an enemy’s reality. Adepts of the Braggart Fox favor light, fast weapons over all others as such weapons are easier feint with, and the weapons associated with the Braggart Fox discipline are: bastard sword, hook sword, longsword, rapier, and shortsword.

Becoming a Braggart Fox AdeptThe ways of the Braggart Fox are native to no class; it is a fighting style highly specific to the vulsune. Therefore, all maneuvers associated with the Braggart Fox discipline are listed as being adept maneuvers. In order for a martial adept to learn the secrets of the Braggart Fox discipline, he or she must meet the following prerequisites:

Weapon Proficiency: The martial adept must have Weapon Proficiency with at least one of the Braggart Fox discipline’s Associated Weapons (see above).

Skills: The martial adept must have a minimum of 2 ranks in the Bluff skill, the Braggart Fox discipline’s key skill.

Ability Score: The martial adept must have a Charisma score of 13 or greater.

Feat: The martial adept must have any one of the following feats: Combat Expertise, Deceitful, Dodge, Weapon Finesse, or Weapon Focus (sword).

Special: The vulsune will refuse to teach anyone the Braggart discipline if they have no knowledge of illusion. This requires the user to be able to use an ability that possesses the [Illusion] descriptor. This can be a spell or spell-like ability, a power or psi-like ability, an extraordinary ability, or a supernatural ability.

In addition, vulsune martial adepts do not need to meet these prerequisites; they can substitute a class discipline for the Braggart Fox regardless of their weapon proficiencies, skills, ability bonuses, or feats.

Special Rule – Illusory DoubleThe Braggart Fox discipline is a fighting style that makes great use of illusions and mirages in its fighting style. As the adept increases in skill, they can even stimulate their own physical being; a phenomenon called an illusory double. An illusory double always enters the battle in a square adjacent to their creator; if no squares are available, the double cannot materialize and is considered wasted unless the maneuver specifically states otherwise. An illusory double has a land speed and size equal to its creator’s, but it has no creature type and is considered an illusion (figment) effect. Because of this, an illusory double cannot cause damage to a creature. An illusory double has an Armor Class and Combat Maneuver Defense equal to 10 + ½ the adept’s initiator level + the adept’s Charisma modifier and a number of hit points equal to their creator’s initiator level + their Charisma modifier. When its hit points reach 0, an illusory double vanishes. An illusory double immediately vanishes after a number of rounds equal to its creator’s initiator level have passed.

A Braggart Fox adept is indistinguishable from their illusory doubles; they even radiate similar auras to scrying magic and only a True Seeing spell can distinguish an adept from their illusory doubles reliably. A creature can attempt a Sense Motive check opposed by the adept’s Bluff check as a standard action to attempt to pick out the real adept. A success alerts the creature to the real adept for the remainder of the combat while a failed check allows the adept to select which illusory double the creature believes to be the real one. In addition, a Braggart Fox adept and their illusory doubles can move through each other's spaces, and illusory doubles always appear to form out of the Braggart Fox adept's own body, making distinguishing which one is the original extremely difficult.

With a dazzling display of prowess and illusion, you catch all onlookers off guard for your party’s next assault.

As part of this maneuver, make a single feint check against the Combat Maneuver Defense of all creatures within 30 feet of you that can see and hear you. Creatures feinted by this maneuver remain feinted until the start of your next round, and they are treated as being feinted by all creatures that attack them. During their turn, a creature can attempt a Will save (DC 17 + your Charisma modifier) to end this feinted effect.

By quickly rousing a mirage, a Braggart Fox adept can leave behind a phony version of themselves to take a blow.

This maneuver can only be initiated when you are targeted by any ability. You create an illusory double in your space, move into a square adjacent to your newly created illusory double, and turn invisible, as the Invisibilityspell. Instead of targeting you, the ability targets your newly created double instead. You remain invisible until the end of your next turn. This ability uses your initiator level as your caster level. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

While you are in this stance, each time you successfully hit a creature with a melee attack, you gain a stacking +1 luck bonus on attack and damage rolls. If you ever miss a creature, this stance ends. This bonus cannot exceed your initiator level and you cannot gain more than +1 per round of combat. This stance's bonuses do not increase outside of combat and the bonus resets to +0 after an encounter ends.

Braggart Fox adepts are particularly well-known for their rambunctious boasting; most of which are true.

While in this stance, you gain temporary hit points equal to your ranks in Bluff. When these temporary hit points are depleted, this stance ends. After this stance ends, you cannot initiate it again for 1 minute (10 rounds).

A Braggart Fox adept is so proficient at hurling insults that it is akin to a second suit of armor against thin-skinned foes.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by any ability. You gain a 5% miss chance per rank of Bluff you possess. This bonus does not stack with similar miss chances, such as cover, concealment, or the bonuses provided by spells such as Displacement.

While you are in this stance, add your ranks in Bluff to your saving throws in place of their respective ability modifier (Constitution for Fortitude, Dexterity for Reflex, and Wisdom for Will). In addition, as long as you remain in this stance, no other bonuses apply to any of your saving throws except the bonuses accrued by class levels. This stance immediately ends after you make a saving throw regardless of whether you succeeded or failed, and after this stance ends, you cannot initiate it again for 3 rounds.

This maneuver can only be initiated when you are targeted by an attack or ability. You immediately move away from the source of the attack, up to 5 feet per three initiator levels you possess. This movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the action cannot be completed because of range (such as a melee attack), it fails. Ranged attacks can still strike you, but they must take your new distance into account for the purpose of their range increment penalty. You cannot initiate this maneuver when you are caught flat-footed or otherwise denied your Dexterity bonus to your Armor Class against an attack.

A Braggart Fox adept’s feints are enough to upset even the most honed of warriors.

As part of this maneuver, make a feint combat maneuver. If you succeed, the creature is feinted and the next action the creature makes that targets you has a 5% chance to fail per rank in Bluff you possess. This effect lasts for as long as the creature is feinted by you and immediately ends if the creature no longer has line of sight to you.

With fancy footwork and intense skill, a Braggart Fox adept can perform a double feint, allowing them to quickly strike their foe.

As part of this maneuver, make a feint attempt. Regardless of whether you succeed or fail, you immediately make a single melee attack at your highest attack bonus against the same target. If your feint succeeds and your attack hits it deals additional damage equal to your initiator level.

A good lie and a pretty smile can get you farther in life then you’d think.

This maneuver can only be initiated when a creature makes an attack roll or a combat maneuver check against you. After the roll has been made but before the result has been revealed, you can choose to use this maneuver to replace either your Armor Class or your Combat Maneuver Defense with the result of a Bluff check. You must accept the result of the Bluff check, even if it is worse than your Armor Class or Combat Maneuver Defense.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by an attack or ability by a creature you are adjacent to. You can make an attack of opportunity against the creature, even if its action would not normally provoke attacks of opportunity. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage plus an additional 2d6 points of damage. In addition, make a feint maneuver. If you succeed, the creature is dazed for 1 round in addition to being feinted against your next attack.

After you initiate this maneuver, all attacks you make during the round deal additional fire damage equal to half your initiator level. Fire damage caused by this maneuver is not affected by fire resistance or immunity. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

By evoking the mysticism of the half-animal half-demon creature, the kitsune, the Braggart Fox adept can slaughter the ego of their foes, slaying them in reality as well.

As part of this maneuver, you unleash a horrid illusion upon your foes. This is treated as a gaze attack that targets all creatures that can draw line of sight to you within the maneuver’s range. If successful, you deal your normal weapon damage plus an additional 8d6 points of damage to the creature. In addition, if an affected creature has been feinted by you, it must make a Will save (DC 19 + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the creature immediately dies. A successful save negates this death effect but not the damage. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

It’s always good to have someone watching your back. Even if they’re not real.

After you initiate this maneuver, you surround yourself with an entourage of four illusory doubles. These illusory doubles follow all of the normal rules associated with illusory doubles. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

When fighting a Braggart Fox adept, one can never trust their senses. Or their instincts. You’re pretty much guaranteed to be screwed with.

After initiating this maneuver, you immediately turn invisible, as the Invisibility spell, and move into any square adjacent to your own. Then, you create an illusory double in your previous square. A creature must make a Will save (DC 16 + your Charisma modifier) to realize that the double is not you. Your Invisibility lasts until the end of your next round. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

A little bit of flowing blood makes all the difference when proving your point.

As part of this maneuver, make a feint maneuver against the target creature. If you succeed, you create an illusory double that deals your normal weapon damage to the creature. Following this maneuver, the illusory double cannot attack and follows all of the normal rules associated with illusory doubles (see above). In addition, the creature becomes feinted against any attacks you make during your next attack. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by an attack or ability by a creature you are adjacent to. You can make an attack of opportunity against the creature, even if its action would not normally provoke attacks of opportunity. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage plus an additional 6d6 points of damage. In addition, make a feint maneuver. If you succeed, the creature is affected by the Phantasmal Killer spell with a caster level equal to your initiator level. The creature takes a -3 penalty to its saving throw against the Phantasmal Killer effect, and it cannot disbelieve it. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

After initiating this maneuver, creatures you have feinted are treated as being feinted for the remainder of this round and during your next round; even if you attacked them during this time. This maneuver affects all creatures you have feinted, so long as they can see you and hear you.

“Keep’em on their toes. Once they question their own reality, they’ve lost.”

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by an attack or ability and you have at least 1 illusory double activated. That attack or ability automatically hits the illusory double instead, as long as it is a legal target. For example, an illusory double must be adjacent to an attacking creature to be struck by a melee attack or within range of a spell to have it cast upon them. After using this maneuver, you immediately move into the illusory double’s former space. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

“Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, and ideas are bulletproof.”

You can only initiate this maneuver when one or more of your illusory doubles are reduced to 0 hit points and vanish. You immediately create 1d4 illusory doubles. These doubles appear in any square adjacent to the slain illusory double, making it appear as if the shards of the old double created these new ones. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

One falsehood in a temple of truths is enough to make the whole building crumble to the ground.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by any ability that makes an attack roll or combat maneuver check against you. Immediately make a feint maneuver against the attacker; if you succeed, instead of becoming feinted the creature’s current attack automatically fails. If your feint attempt fails, you are attacked normally.

With perfect timing and finesse, the adept feints their enemy into tumbling past them, falling on their face.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are the target of a melee attack. Make a feint combat maneuver. If your maneuver succeeds, the creature moves through your space, lands in the first empty space available, and falls prone.

“One jump ahead of the hoof beats, one hop ahead of the hump, one trick ahead of disaster. They’re quick, but I’m much faster.”

While you are in this stance, creatures do not get to make Sense Motive checks to distinguish you from your illusory doubles. Whenever a creature makes an attack or uses a targeting ability against you, you can choose to redirect that attack or ability to one illusory double, so long as it is a legal target of the attack or ability.

After initiating this maneuver, you immediately create up to nine illusory doubles. These doubles are placed in the squares adjacent to yours; any double that has no square to appear in is lost. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

We all are afraid of something, and a good illusionist tries to draw upon that fear, sharpening to cut deeper than any blade.

While you are in this stance, whenever you feint a creature, it remains feinted against you (and only you) for as long as you maintain this stance. After ending this stance, all creatures you have feinted are no longer feinted by you.

The adept emulates their own death, fooling all but the most practiced of surgeons.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by any action that designates you as a target. You take no damage and suffer no negative effects associated with the ability but you immediately fall to the ground, prone. Then, make a feint maneuver against all creatures that can observe you.If you succeed, that creature believes you are dead and will take actions against you accordingly. At any time while you are playing dead, you can spend an immediate action to end the effect and either stand up and move 5 feet or stand up and attack a creature adjacent to you. The target of your attack must have failed its save against this maneuver. You cannot make any other actions except this one while playing dead without ending the effect.

The best tricks are performed when the eye is too busy to watch the hand.

You can initiate this maneuver whenever an enemy creature you can see takes a standard action or a full round action. You can immediately make a move action. This move action can be to hide an object no larger than a dagger of your size category on your person, to move up to half your land speed, or to draw or sheathe a weapon. This move action does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

It takes no more skill to lie to beasts than it does to men; one must simply understand their culture.

While in this stance, you can feint against non-humanoid creatures and creatures with an Intelligence of 1 or 2 without the normal penalties. In addition, you can feint mindless creatures at a -8 penalty to your Bluff check.

With a well-played bluff, the adept batters their adversary’s faith in their eyes right out of them.

As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage plus an additional +1 point of damage per initiator level you possess. In addition, the struck creature is considered feinted against your next attack. If it was already feinted when you used this maneuver, it is dazed for 1 round instead.

The signature technique of a Braggart Fox adept is the ability to create illusory doppelgangers of themselves.

After activating this maneuver, you immediately create a number of illusory doubles (see Special Rules, above) equal to 1 illusory double per five ranks in Bluff you possess. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage and immediately make a dirty tricks combat maneuver against the struck creature. It takes a penalty to its Combat Maneuver Defense against this maneuver equal to the damage it suffered from your attack.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by an attack or ability by a creature you are adjacent to. You can make an attack of opportunity against the creature, even if its action would not normally provoke attacks of opportunity. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage plus an additional 4d6 points of damage. In addition, make a feint maneuver. If you succeed, the creature is stunned for 1 round in addition to being feinted against your next attack.

By channeling the powers of the sprits from beyond the veil, a Braggart Fox adept can create mirages and illusions.

While in this stance, you can cast the following spells as spell-like abilities: Ghost Sounds, Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, Invisibility, Produce Flame, and Silent Image. You can cast a number of spells per encounter equal to half your Charisma modifier; once these spells have been exhausted, the stance ends. When your initiator level reaches 10, you add the following spells to the list: Invisibility Sphere, Major Image, Mirror Image. When your initiator level reaches 15, you add the following spells to the list: Hallucinatory Terrain, Greater Invisibility. You use your initiator level as your caster level for these spells.

"You're waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away. You know where you hope the train will take you, but you can't be sure. But it doesn't matter because we'll be together."

Author's NotesThe Braggart Fox discipline primary started when I stumbled upon Nifft's Dancing Fox discipline. With the vulsune (a race of anthromorphic foxes) being so important to my campaign setting, I felt like they deserved a martial discipline that was native to their homeland. Originally I had them as the original stylists of the Desert Wind discipline because of their fey flame-based powers, but being from a temperate forest, the Desert theme didn't fit. And once the scaly Shazak were created as a race of sun-worshipping lizardfolk, well let's say that Desert Wind made more sense in their culture.

However, I don't like reusing adjectives for my disciplines (it's why TheDementedOne's Black Rain was renamed Napalm Rain and Black Lotus was renamed Poised Lotus. Sorry guys; I stumbled upon Black Heron first ), and seeing that the discipline is all about illusions and bluffing, well that's about when I picked "braggart" as the discipline's name. I have to say that this discipline went a long way to defining the vulsune as a people in my campaign; I think braggart ended up summing things up quite nicely .

This was also the first discipline where I said "You know what? It has no associated class. It's an Adept class!" It's a trend you'll see in other classes down the line. As always, you can view the Braggart Fox discipline here.

"You're waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away. You know where you hope the train will take you, but you can't be sure. But it doesn't matter because we'll be together."

With a dazzling display of prowess and illusion, you catch all onlookers off guard for your party’s next assault.

After initiating this maneuver, make a single feint check against the Combat Maneuver Defense of all creatures within 30 feet of you that can see and hear you. Creatures feinted by this maneuver remain feinted until the start of your next round, and they are treated as being feinted by all creatures that attack them. During their turn, a creature can attempt a Will save (DC 17 + your Charisma modifier) to end this feinted effect.

Need to clarify if the feint requires a seperate action.Should be "until the start of your next turn" not "round".Will save only during their turn makes timing critical here, but I think that might be a good thing, and does avoid a bunch of dice-rolls in many cases.

By quickly rousing a mirage, a Braggart Fox adept can leave behind a phony version of themselves to take a blow.

This maneuver can only be initiated when you are targeted by any attack or ability. You create an illusory double in your space, move into a square adjacent to your illusory double, and turn invisible, as the Invisibility spell. Instead of targeting you, the spell focuses its effects on your newly created double instead. You remain invisible until the end of your next turn. This ability uses your initiator level as your caster level. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

Your language here is all mixed up between "attack or ability" and "spell". Also, I know this won't get you out of a fireball centered within 15' of you but you might want to underline the word "targeted". The duration on this is much better than Cloak of Deception (Shadow Hand level 2), despite the later using greater invisibility (which reminds me, you forgot to italize the spell name). I suspose it is high enough level to warrent that, plus being reactive, rather than pro-active... still it does negate an attack as well, and that might qualify it for it for level 5 or so, or you might say that it ends at the START of your turn... although that isn't nearly as good for "trickster points" because you don't get nearly as much chance to hide yourself as you would with the current verison. Maybe make two different versions, one as I described, and the higher level version also being greater invisibility, allowing you to AoO and get in a full-attack before becoming visible?

While you are in this stance, each time you successfully hit a creature with a melee attack, you gain a stacking +1 luck bonus on attack and damage rolls. If you ever miss a creature, this stance ends. This bonus cannot exceed your initiator level and you cannot gain more than +1 per round of combat. This stance cannot be used outside of combat, and its benefits end when the encounter ends.

I would strongly consider instead saying "These bonuses do not accrue outside of combat" that way you don't have to use a swift action at the start of a fight to switch to this stance each time.

Braggart Fox adepts are particularly well-known for their rambunctious boasting; most of which are true.

While in this stance, you gain temporary hit points equal to your ranks in Bluff. When these temporary hit points are depleted, this stance ends. After this stance ends, you cannot initiate it again for 1 minute (10 rounds).

A Braggart Fox adept is so proficient at hurling insults that it is akin to a second suit of armor against thin-skinned foes.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by any ability. You gain a 5% miss chance per rank of Bluff you possess. This bonus does not stack with similar miss chances, such as cover, concealment, or the bonuses provided by spells such as Displacement.

See my comments on "Fake Out" for thoughts on the percentages and scaling. The fact that it doesn't stack (which Fakeout does), makes it more managable at lower levels, but it applies against all attacks, not just those by a specific opponent, which makes the "total immunity" thing even worse at higher levels.

While in this stance, you can choose to substitute your ranks in Bluff for your Constitution modifier when making Fortitude saves, your Dexterity modifier when making Reflex saves, or your Wisdom modifier when making Will saves. This stance’s effect ends after you make a saving throw, regardless of whether it succeeds or fails.

How does this interact with Moment of Perfect Mind, Mind over Body, and Action Before Thought? Comparing this to Diamond Defense:Pros:

5 Levels lower

Doesn't take up an action that round to use, and can be re-used as often as you care to use a swift action on it.

The above means they can be stacked!

At lower levels, could be combined with Falling Anvil's Zany * maneuvers to form an even more impenitrable defense with both keying off the same skill (and it makes sense thematically too since trickery is inherent in Falling Anvil too, although of a slightly different nature).

Neutral:

Bonus is equivalent to having DEX WIS and CON all at 16, provided you keep Bluff maxed.

Technically this is useless, since it requires TWO Swift action. You MIGHT try "As part of this maneuver, make a feint, with the normal effects of your feint (except for Improved Fient, since that actually would make this take longer)." Or you could just leave it alone and trust people will know what you mean.

This maneuver can only be initiated when you are targeted by an attack or ability. You immediately move backwards up to 5 feet per three initiator levels you possess. This movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the action cannot be completed because of range (such as a melee attack), it fails. Ranged attacks can still strike you, but they must take your new distance into account for the purpose of their range increment penalty.

Since D&D doesn't have facing you should instead say "Away from the source of the attack." and then put in something so it doesn't give you an arrow pointing to hidden/invisible attackers.... probably just "You must be able to locate the source of the attack to use this maneuver." or something similar to that.

A Braggart Fox adept’s feints are enough to upset even the most honed of warriors.

As part of this maneuver, make a feint combat maneuver. If you succeed, the creature is feinted and the next action the creature makes that targets you has a 5% chance to fail per rank in Bluff you possess. This effect lasts for as long as the creature is feinted by you and immediately ends if the creature no longer has line of sight to you.

Let's see.... so a minimum of a 70% miss chance (11th level for 6th level maneuver. +3, x5 = 70). Hits 100% at level 17. Very strong, and most maneuvers traditionally aren't supposed to scale. I consider non-scaling to possibly be a design flaw in ToB, so the scaling is fine, but I might make this 2.5% per rank instead (rounded down to the nearest whole number). That means at level 20 it hits 57% miss chance. If you want to keep the math easier (although you only have to recalculate when you put ranks in bluff) make it 5% per 2 ranks. Manticore Parry (Iron Heart) and Scorpion Parry (Setting Sun) are both also 6th level and both use opposed attack rolls, but they also redirect the attack to any adjacent creature if you chose. Whether or not this is designed to be used in the same games with Iron Heart, it seems to me that it has some sort of validity as a point of comparison. I can't comment on WHAT this comparison says, but it is worth pointing out.

In its current version this is almost certain stronger than Fool's Strike, which is an 8th level Setting Sun counter.

With fancy footwork and intense skill, a Braggart Fox adept can perform a double feint, allowing them to quickly strike their foe.

As part of this maneuver, make a feint attempt. Regardless of whether you succeed or fail, you immediately make a single melee attack at your highest attack bonus. If your feint succeeds and your attack hits it deals additional damage equal to your initiator level.

Specify the fient and the attack must be against the same target, otherwise you can fient a minion (or technically an ally of your's) and then get extra damage against the BBEG. For more flavor, consider making the extra damage equal to your ranks in Bluff. This is stronger at low levels, but is probably on a par with other maneuvers such as Shadow Hand's Shadow Blade Technique which is actually better for generating simple hits in most cases, but which only deals its 1d6 (3.5 average is very close to the 4 that you would get at first level with this strike if you make it rank-based) cold damage if you take a risk after seeing the to-hit rolls, and the LOWER one qualifies as a hit.

A good lie and a pretty smile can get you farther in life then you’d think.

This maneuver can only be initiated when a creature makes an attack roll or a combat maneuver check against you. After the roll has been made but before the result has been revealed, you can choose to use this maneuver to replace either your Armor Class or your Combat Maneuver Defense with the result of a Bluff check. You must accept the result of the Bluff check, even if it is worse than your Armor Class or Combat Maneuver Defense.

I might edit in a critique here later. Looks about right to me I guess.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by an attack or ability by a creature you are adjacent to. You can make an attack of opportunity against the creature, even if its action would not normally provoke attacks of opportunity. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage plus an additional 2d6 points of damage. In addition, make a feint maneuver. If you succeed, the creature is dazed for 1 round in addition to being feinted against your next attack.

Comparing this to Fire Riposte (Desert Wind 2) it seems to justify its 2 additional levels with the daze chance (the damage is a wash, because Fire Riposte doesn't include your basic melee damage (which is likely to be more than 2d6) is commonly resisted, but is a touch attack.).Two other good maneuvers to compare it to are Setting Sun's Feigned Opening(level 2, when you provoke an AoO if you can activate this, and if they miss you get a free attack), and Fool's Strike (level 8, opposed attack roll when attacked, if you win, they simply take the damage instead, even if their attack roll wasn't high enough to hit themselves). Fool's Strike might also be relevant to something else I critiqued in this post, but I don't feel like hunting it up. Nevermind, I found it... it was "Fakeout".

After you initiate this maneuver, all attacks you make during the round deal additional fire damage equal to half your initiator level. Fire damage caused by this maneuver is not affected by fire resistance or immunity. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

I would actually consider making this equivalent to a short duration Fairy Fire... but I don't know as much about Oriental Mythology as you might... I know that IRL Foxfire is a low-temperature chemical reaction (Bioluminence Fungus?).

Draco Dei wrote:The ability to move through your own duplicates, and their creation by splitting out of you is important, since otherwise observers know that the real one is the one that didn't move.

Added this line under "Special Rules" for clarification.

Need to clarify if the feint requires a seperate action.Should be "until the start of your next turn" not "round".Will save only during their turn makes timing critical here, but I think that might be a good thing, and does avoid a bunch of dice-rolls in many cases.

Done, and yes, the idea was that you *could* see through the feint, which I thought was important seeing as all your allies treat the subject as being feinted as well.

Your language here is all mixed up between "attack or ability" and "spell". Also, I know this won't get you out of a fireball centered within 15' of you but you might want to underline the word "targeted". The duration on this is much better than Cloak of Deception (Shadow Hand level 2), despite the later using greater invisibility (which reminds me, you forgot to italize the spell name). I suspose it is high enough level to warrent that, plus being reactive, rather than pro-active... still it does negate an attack as well, and that might qualify it for it for level 5 or so, or you might say that it ends at the START of your turn... although that isn't nearly as good for "trickster points" because you don't get nearly as much chance to hide yourself as you would with the current verison. Maybe make two different versions, one as I described, and the higher level version also being greater invisibility, allowing you to AoO and get in a full-attack before becoming visible?

Fixed some of the language, can you check it out to see if After Image makes more sense now? And I don't think I'll add in the higher-leveled one; I think the discipline has enough maneuvers as it is .

I would strongly consider instead saying "These bonuses do not accrue outside of combat" that way you don't have to use a swift action at the start of a fight to switch to this stance each time.

Done.

I already commented on this.

And I already fixed it. Yay for productivity!

See my comments on "Fake Out" for thoughts on the percentages and scaling. The fact that it doesn't stack (which Fakeout does), makes it more managable at lower levels, but it applies against all attacks, not just those by a specific opponent, which makes the "total immunity" thing even worse at higher levels.

Whoops, my bad. Braggart's Blur was only supposed to last until the end of the turn, not the end of the round. That error's fixed now. Also, I mentioned this in the Fakeout section, but these disciplines are designed for the Pathfinder system; not for 3.5. One of the differences is that you can only purchase one skill rank per level, making the maximum number of ranks cap out at 20. This means these abilities offer total protection at level 20, which I thought was acceptable.

How does this interact with Moment of Perfect Mind, Mind over Body, and Action Before Thought? Comparing this to Diamond Defense:Pros:

5 Levels lower

Doesn't take up an action that round to use, and can be re-used as often as you care to use a swift action on it.

The above means they can be stacked!

At lower levels, could be combined with Falling Anvil's Zany * maneuvers to form an even more impenitrable defense with both keying off the same skill (and it makes sense thematically too since trickery is inherent in Falling Anvil too, although of a slightly different nature).

Neutral:

Bonus is equivalent to having DEX WIS and CON all at 16, provided you keep Bluff maxed.

Cons:

Don't get a choice about if you use it or not.

Takes up your stance.

All in all this smells like it is underleveled...

Although I haven't written Diamond Mind's redo yet, I don't know if I'll keep those maneuvers, so I completely rewrote Braggart's Bravado. The biggest change is that it only stacks with one save at a time and you don't get any other bonuses to any other saves while in the stance. So instead of being god mode, it's very much a "ah ha ha! I'm so confident that you won't hit me with this one ability!" You might want to check the new version out .

Technically this is useless, since it requires TWO Swift action. You MIGHT try "As part of this maneuver, make a feint, with the normal effects of your feint (except for Improved Fient, since that actually would make this take longer)." Or you could just leave it alone and trust people will know what you mean.

Fixed.

Since D&D doesn't have facing you should instead say "Away from the source of the attack." and then put in something so it doesn't give you an arrow pointing to hidden/invisible attackers.... probably just "You must be able to locate the source of the attack to use this maneuver." or something similar to that.

For Disengage, I took your advice on the "source of the attack" thing. Also, you can't initiate it when you're flat-footed now.

Let's see.... so a minimum of a 70% miss chance (11th level for 6th level maneuver. +3, x5 = 70). Hits 100% at level 17. Very strong, and most maneuvers traditionally aren't supposed to scale. I consider non-scaling to possibly be a design flaw in ToB, so the scaling is fine, but I might make this 2.5% per rank instead (rounded down to the nearest whole number). That means at level 20 it hits 57% miss chance. If you want to keep the math easier (although you only have to recalculate when you put ranks in bluff) make it 5% per 2 ranks. Manticore Parry (Iron Heart) and Scorpion Parry (Setting Sun) are both also 6th level and both use opposed attack rolls, but they also redirect the attack to any adjacent creature if you chose. Whether or not this is designed to be used in the same games with Iron Heart, it seems to me that it has some sort of validity as a point of comparison. I can't comment on WHAT this comparison says, but it is worth pointing out.

Fakeout scales with your Bluff ranks; not your initiator level. While it's assumed that you'll max Bluff out to get the full effect, your math is a little off. As mentioned earlier, in Pathfinder (which the system is based off of; see the [Important] Please Read sticky ) your maximum number of ranks is 20 and you can only purchase one skill rank in a skill per level, so this maneuver doesn't cap out at 100% until level 20. It is a very good maneuver, don't get me wrong, but at 6th level you're about 55th level, which means you've only got a 55% chance if you maxed out a skill, compared to those maneuvers. This maneuver does scale; quite well I might add, and that may be a bad thing. And yes, Iron Heart WILL be used, as will all the Tome of Battle Disciplines, but I've done anywhere from minor to major tweaks to those disciplines as well .

Specify the fient and the attack must be against the same target, otherwise you can fient a minion (or technically an ally of your's) and then get extra damage against the BBEG. For more flavor, consider making the extra damage equal to your ranks in Bluff. This is stronger at low levels, but is probably on a par with other maneuvers such as Shadow Hand's Shadow Blade Technique which is actually better for generating simple hits in most cases, but which only deals its 1d6 (3.5 average is very close to the 4 that you would get at first level with this strike if you make it rank-based) cold damage if you take a risk after seeing the to-hit rolls, and the LOWER one qualifies as a hit.

Done. And actually, because of Pathfinder's rules, your initiatory level and your Bluff ranks aren't going to get far apart from each other unless you multiclass. I'll keep the initiator level thing for now though; we'll see based on what other people and you think.

I might edit in a critique here later.

Please do! Or a make a new post; whatever. I value all critiques.

Comparing this to Fire Riposte (Desert Wind 2) it seems to justify its 2 additional levels with the daze chance (the damage is a wash, because Fire Riposte doesn't include your basic melee damage (which is likely to be more than 2d6) is commonly resisted, but is a touch attack.).Two other good maneuvers to compare it to are Setting Sun's Feigned Opening(level 2, when you provoke an AoO if you can activate this, and if they miss you get a free attack), and Fool's Strike (level 8, opposed attack roll when attacked, if you win, they simply take the damage instead, even if their attack roll wasn't high enough to hit themselves). Fool's Strike might also be relevant to something else I critiqued in this post, but I don't feel like hunting it up. Nevermind, I found it... it was "Fakeout".

I personally always thought that Setting Sun was kind of weak. I plan on addressing that when I get to it, but it's not on my current list .

I would actually consider making this equivalent to a short duration Fairy Fire... but I don't know as much about Oriental Mythology as you might... I know that IRL Foxfire is a low-temperature chemical reaction (Bioluminence Fungus?).

It actually goes more towards the Vulsune, who created the discipline. They have strong ties to Will-O-Wisps, which this maneuver indirectly references. Other maneuvers do as well .

"You're waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away. You know where you hope the train will take you, but you can't be sure. But it doesn't matter because we'll be together."

Have now re-read the Illusionary Double stuff. You have a typo "summed" when it should be "summoned". Other than that, it looks fine to me.

Have re-read Braggart's Bravado. Very nerfed of course... I see that your cloak of resistance and/or luckstone don't help with that save while it is up... personally, I think that letting it cover all 3 might be balanced (depending on level, not sure if you changed that, but I will assume not, since I am feeling too lazy to check.

Have now re-read the Illusionary Double stuff. You have a typo "summed" when it should be "summoned". Other than that, it looks fine to me.

Fixed!

Have re-read Braggart's Bravado. Very nerfed of course... I see that your cloak of resistance and/or luckstone don't help with that save while it is up... personally, I think that letting it cover all 3 might be balanced (depending on level, not sure if you changed that, but I will assume not, since I am feeling too lazy to check.

Yeah, I was kinda feeling that too. Covers all three for one save every 3 rounds if you spend the action, plus if you don't use it effectively you could lose a lot of bonuses.

"You're waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away. You know where you hope the train will take you, but you can't be sure. But it doesn't matter because we'll be together."

By evoking the mysticism of the half-animal half-demon creature, the kitsune, the Braggart Fox adept can slaughter the ego of their foes, slaying them in reality as well.

As part of this maneuver, you unleash a horrid illusion upon your foes. This is treated as a gaze attack that targets all creatures that can draw line of sight to you within the maneuver’s range. If successful, you deal your normal weapon damage plus an additional 8d6 points of damage to the creature. In addition, if an affected creature has been feinted by you, it must make a Will save (DC 19 + your Charisma modifier). On a failed save, the creature immediately dies. A successful save negates this death effect but not the damage. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

Should this have [Death] in addition to [Illusion]?Also, a 60 burst of weapon damage (does this include strength and flaming and power-attack?), +8d6 is... oh, wait this is the 9th level maneuver. Carry on. Jolly good show. (but you still need to clarify what damage you can count as "weapon damage"). Err... is there any defense other than not having LOS to you that works against the basic damage?

It’s always good to have someone watching your back. Even if they’re not real.

After you initiation this maneuver, you surround yourself with an entourage of four illusory doubles. These illusory doubles follow all of the normal rules associated with illusory doubles. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

When fighting a Braggart Fox adept, one can never trust their senses. Or their instincts. You’re pretty much guaranteed to be screwed with.

After initiating this maneuver, you immediately turn invisible, as the Invisibility spell, and move into any square adjacent to your own. Then, you create an illusory double in your previous square. A creature must make a Will save (DC 16 + your Charisma modifier) to realize that the double is not you. Your Invisibility lasts until the end of your next round. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

Looks fine to me, but I am not in the mood to see how it stacks up to other maneuvers. Given the 1 round duration, you MIGHT call it the same as "Mislead", but then again it IS an encounter power rather than a daily (to use 4E terminology) and the double sticks around until the end of combat (right?) so a level higher might make sense.

A little bit of flowing blood makes all the difference when proving your point.

As part of this maneuver, make a feint maneuver against the target creature. If you succeed, you create an illusory double that deals your normal weapon damage to the creature. Following this maneuver, the illusory double cannot attack and follows all of the normal rules associated with illusory doubles (see above). In addition, the creature becomes feinted against your next attack. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

As written that "next" attack could be years later. I guess it would take a REALLY bad reading to imply that it is your next attack on THEM, so if you attack anything else you waste it, but some more clarity couldn't hurt I don't think. And actually, being able to attack another opponent next round with your first attack, then direct your second at them (since they are feinted, and thus easier to hit so the -5 for the itterative doesn't hurt as much.) might make some sense.

You can only initiation this maneuver when you are targeted by an attack or ability by a creature you are adjacent to. You can make an attack of opportunity against the creature, even if its action would not normally provoke attacks of opportunity. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage plus an additional 6d6 points of damage. In addition, make a feint maneuver. If you succeed, the creature is affected by the Phantasmal Killer spell with a caster level equal to your initiator level. The creature takes a -3 penalty to its saving throw against the Phantasmal Killer effect, and it cannot disbelieve it. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

Again, should be "initiate" that is a lot of dice-rolls, and you don't give the effect enough fluff to say how it works (there might be such fluff on a lower/higher level version of this that I seem to remember, but I can't remember what exactly that fluff was).

After initiating this maneuver, creatures you have feinted are treated as being feinted for the remainder of this round and during your next round; even if you attacked them during this time. This maneuver affects all creatures you have feinted, so long as they can see you and hear you.

Nice. No idea about the level, but it sounds good. Expect this maneuver to never be swapped out (assuming you keep "4th and every even numbered level after that" swap mechanics from ToB), there is just simply too much synergy with other maneuvers.

“Keep’em on their toes. Once they question their own reality, they’ve lost.”

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by an attack or ability and you have at least 1 illusory double activated. That attack or ability automatically hits the illusory double instead, as long as it is a legal target. For example, an illusory double must be adjacent to an attacking creature to be struck by a melee attack or within range of a spell to have it cast upon them. After using this maneuver, you immediately move into the illusory double’s former space. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

I would give this the [Teleportation] tag, other than that, I like it. Very powerful, but requires you to have a double (so you almost certainly can't use it the first round) and it IS 7th level.

“Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, and ideas are bulletproof.”

You can only initiate this maneuver when one or more of your illusory doubles are reduced to 0 hit points and vanish. You immediately create 1d4 illusory doubles. Place these doubles in any square within 30 feet of either you or the creature whose action allowed you to use this maneuver. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

Hmmm... not sure on the utility of this, since it is pretty easy to guess that none of the ones that just appeared are real. I also note that this is the only one I have seen so far that creates a random number of doubles, but that is neither here nor there really. Also, given the changes I recommended you make, this actually has the doubles splitting off of the REAL YOU, and racing into those positions, revealing which one is the real you. It would be better if this one specifically had the new illusions splitting out of the old right before it actually vanishes. Also, most things that create an illusionary double on someone elses turn should MAYBE allow you to take a 5' step as long as you leave one double occupying the square you left (IE you step out of them, rather than them stepping out of you, so you can mix yourself up with them. Anything that happens on your own turn is easy enough to handle by saying that any movement you do during your own turn can be mixed up chronologically with the double's creation such that it isn't clear which way the doubles actually went or you at least shuffle around through them.

One falsehood in a temple of truths is enough to make the whole building crumble to the ground.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by any ability that makes an attack roll or combat maneuver check against you. Immediately make a feint maneuver against the attacker; if you succeed, in addition to becoming feinted the creature’s current attack automatically fails. If your feint fails, you are attacked normally.

Nice and simple. It works... although maybe having them be actually feinted is a bit much, since you not only have a counter, but a reduction of the action required to feint.

With perfect timing and finesse, the adept feints their enemy into tumbling past them, falling on their face.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are the target of a melee attack. Make a feint combat maneuver. If your maneuver succeeds, the creature moves through your space, lands in the first empty space available, and falls prone.

Isn't his much nastier than the Setting Sun maneuver that lets you change places with an attacker (maybe only if they miss?)? And I THINK that one might be higher level, although I don't know. And it MIGHT be a stance, not sure. But maybe that is a really weak Setting Sun maneuver?

“One jump ahead of the hoof beats one hop ahead of the hump, one trick ahead of disaster. They’re quick, but I’m much faster.”

While you are in this stance, creatures do not get to make Sense Motive checks to distinguish you from your illusory doubles. Whenever a creature makes an attack or uses a targeting ability against you, you can choose to redirect that attack or ability to one illusory double, so long as it is a legal target of the attack or ability.

Should probably be a comma between "beats" and "one hop". Also you are much less verbose than in the other place where you have redirection about what "legal target" means. In addition I would consider making this an 8th level stance, since it gives you up to 9 free hits against non-AoO, non-Cleaving enemies in combination with Nontuple Mirage.

After initiating this maneuver, you immediately create up to nine illusory doubles. These doubles are placed in the squares adjacent to yours; any double that has no square to appear in is lost. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

We all are afraid of something, and a good illusionist tries to draw upon that fear, sharpening to cut deeper than any blade.

While you are in this stance, whenever you feint a creature, it remains feinted against you (and only you) for as long as you assume this stance. After ending this stance, all creatures you have feinted are no longer feinted by you.

"Assume" should be "maintain". Also, forget what I said about nobody trading away that 5th level boost. This is better, although, of course, it also takes up your stance.

The adept emulates their own death, fooling all but the most practiced of surgeons.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by any action that designates you as a target. You take no damage and suffer no negative effects associated with the ability but you immediately fall to the ground, prone. Then, make a feint maneuver against all creatures that can observe you. If you succeed, that creature believes you are dead and will take no hostile actions against you. At any time while you are playing dead, you can spend an immediate action to end the effect and either stand up and move 5 feet or stand up and attack a creature adjacent to you. The target of your attack must have failed its save against this maneuver. You cannot make any other actions except this one while playing dead without ending the effect.

I know both spellings are good for the animal, but for this phrase isn't it usually rendered "Playing Possum"? I don't know that it would bother anyone else than me, and it is a very minor detail, but I thought I would mention it.Actually, a Barghest (for instance) is fairly likely to take "hostile actions" against a foe it considers dead if it thinks it can spare the time in the middle of combat. Also, anyone who wants to make it harder to revivify you might try to ash/Disintegrate a corpse, and, of course, if written CORRECTLY, this spell would be a really good way to trick a really serious foe into wasting a round on casting Soul Bind. For bonus points, you could even have the caster of a Soul Bind get false information leading them to believe that the spell had gone off perfectly unless they somehow checked either your "corpse" or the gem. Usually I think casters automatically know if a spell worked or not (so you can't fake getting Charmed for instance, although if you Slippery Mind out of a Charm you could fake at that point).

The best tricks are performed when the eye is too busy to watch the hand.

You can initiate this maneuver whenever a creature you can see takes a move action, standard action, or full round action. You can immediately make a move action. This move action can be to hide an object no larger than a dagger of your size category on your person, to move up to your land speed, or to draw or sheathe a weapon. This move action does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Eh, should this be an ENEMY? As it stands, this works on your allies actions. Even with the limits on the types of actions you can take, this might be stepping on Diamond Mind's Quicksilver Motion's toes since it is an Immediate (and the timing is such that it might as well JUST be an immediate as long as it isn't your turn), and it avoids AoOs. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but I would think that they would be closer together than 5 whole maneuver levels.

It takes no more skill to lie to beasts than it does to men; one must simply understand their culture.

While in this stance, you can feint against non-humanoid creatures and creatures with an Intelligence of 1 or 2 without the normal penalties. In addition, you can feint mindless creatures at a -8 penalty to your Bluff check.

Looks good, but why -8 rather than the more usual -10? I am all for non-standard if there is a half-way excuse, but I would like to hear your reasoning.

A favored technique of the Braggart Fox adepts is to withhold their attacks until the perfect opening arising, allowing them to strike to great effect.

While you are in this stance, your attacks deal +2d6 points of sudden strike damage. Sudden strike damage is only dealt to a creature suffering from the effects of a combat maneuver.

Hmmmmm... might want to define "sudden strike" here, or at least refer to a page in some book... also, is it just me, or would this be very very useful against Falling Anvil users since a lot of their counters have a bit of a downside? Not that I expect you to write for compatability with everyone, and it isn't necessarily a BAD thing, but I thought I would point it out.

With a well-played bluff, the adept batters their adversary’s faith in their eyes right out of them.

As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage plus an additional +1 point of damage per initiator level you possess. In addition, the struck creature is considered feinted against your next attack. If it was already feinted when you used this maneuver, it is dazed for 1 round instead.

The signature technique of a Braggart Fox adept is the ability to create illusory doppelgangers of themselves.

After activating this maneuver, you immediately create a number of illusory doubles (see Special Rules, above) equal to 1 illusory double per six ranks in Bluff you possess. This maneuver is a supernatural ability.

So... this is useless until one class level after you can first get it? Seems to need a "(Minimum 1)" clause. Also, it seems to me that by the time you can get 2 doubles, you would probably have access to a maneuver that gives you 4 or something... then again, redundant back-ups are good, especially with no recovery methods availible in your setting.

As part of this maneuver, make a single melee attack. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage and immediately make a dirty tricks combat maneuver against the struck creature. It takes a penalty to its Combat Maneuver Defense against this maneuver equal to the damage it suffered from your attack.

Well, I don't know what "Dirty Tricks combat maneuver" is, since I am not familiar with pathfinder, but I will say that at higher levels this is going to turn into an automatic success on the Dirty Tricks if you hit in the first place. That might or might not be a bad thing for a level 1 maneuver.

You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by an attack or ability by a creature you are adjacent to. You can make an attack of opportunity against the creature, even if its action would not normally provoke attacks of opportunity. If it hits, you deal normal weapon damage plus an additional 4d6 points of damage. In addition, make a feint maneuver. If you succeed, the creature is stunned for 1 round in addition to being feinted against your next attack.

I am often of two minds about the "adjacent to" mechanic, since it doesn't take into account bigger creatures with longer reach nearly as well as I would like... then again, that may be intentional. I just seems like if you are anything other than medium or small a lot of ToB is going to be slightly "off"...

By channeling the powers of the sprits from beyond the veil, a Braggart Fox adept can create mirages and illusions.

While in this stance, you can cast the following spells as spell-like abilities: Ghost Sounds, Dancing Lights, Faerie Fire, Invisibility, Produce Flame, and Silent Image. You can cast a number of spells per encounter equal to half your Charisma modifier; once these spells have been exhausted, the stance ends. When your initiator level reaches 10, you add the following spells to the list: Invisibility Sphere, Major Image, Mirror Image. When your initiator level reaches 15, you add the following spells to the list: Hallucinatory Terrain, Greater Invisibility. You use your initiator level as your caster level for these spells.

My opinion of this orobably depends entirely on how you handle maneuvers outside combat.

Draco Dei wrote:Should this have [Death] in addition to [Illusion]?Also, a 60 burst of weapon damage (does this include strength and flaming and power-attack?), +8d6 is... oh, wait this is the 9th level maneuver. Carry on. Jolly good show. (but you still need to clarify what damage you can count as "weapon damage"). Err... is there any defense other than not having LOS to you that works against the basic damage?

I could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that the Tome of Battle refers to as a normal weapon damage as whatever modifiers you'd get from making a single attack. I didn't intend for you to be able to Power Attack with a martial maneuver, and if these rules say you can, I'll go add a clause to my rules; I think ti says something about not being able to add special effects like Power Attack, etc.

And yes, since the attack is treated as a gaze attack, you can choose to advert your gaze from the initiator, so if you avoid the gaze you avoid the maneuver entirely. Naturally, it's only designed to work at its best against a lot of enemies.

Should be "after you intitiate".

Whoops. Fixed.

Looks fine to me, but I am not in the mood to see how it stacks up to other maneuvers. Given the 1 round duration, you MIGHT call it the same as "Mislead", but then again it IS an encounter power rather than a daily (to use 4E terminology) and the double sticks around until the end of combat (right?) so a level higher might make sense.

Doubles have a duration. They immediately vanish after a number of rounds equal to the adept's initiator level. Given your minimum level to initiate this maneuver, it would last a minimum of 12 rounds, which might as well be a maneuver in most cases.

As written that "next" attack could be years later. I guess it would take a REALLY bad reading to imply that it is your next attack on THEM, so if you attack anything else you waste it, but some more clarity couldn't hurt I don't think. And actually, being able to attack another opponent next round with your first attack, then direct your second at them (since they are feinted, and thus easier to hit so the -5 for the itterative doesn't hurt as much.) might make some sense.

Now reads, "In addition, the creature becomes feinted against any attacks you make during your next attack." Slight power boost, as it applies to multiple attacks, but hey, it's a 5th level maneuver. I'm OK with that.

Again, should be "initiate" that is a lot of dice-rolls, and you don't give the effect enough fluff to say how it works (there might be such fluff on a lower/higher level version of this that I seem to remember, but I can't remember what exactly that fluff was).

This maneuver scales from Fox's Grudge to Wisp's Grudge to Kitsune's Grudge. It was designed to be a strong hitting maneuver for the discipline because it's 9th level maneuver was an AoE ability. And in fairness, Horror of the ... Kitsune rolls a LOT of dice too. And I find rolling lots of dice can be fun .

Nice. No idea about the level, but it sounds good. Expect this maneuver to never be swapped out (assuming you keep "4th and every even numbered level after that" swap mechanics from ToB), there is just simply too much synergy with other maneuvers.

I think it's okay for one or two maneuvers to be a really, really good choice. Just as long as there isn't only one way to go in the discipline; I tried to include a fair bit of variety in these disciplines, after all.

I would give this the [Teleportation] tag, other than that, I like it. Very powerful, but requires you to have a double (so you almost certainly can't use it the first round) and it IS 7th level.

Good ideal on the Teleportation tag.

Hmmm... not sure on the utility of this, since it is pretty easy to guess that none of the ones that just appeared are real. I also note that this is the only one I have seen so far that creates a random number of doubles, but that is neither here nor there really. Also, given the changes I recommended you make, this actually has the doubles splitting off of the REAL YOU, and racing into those positions, revealing which one is the real you. It would be better if this one specifically had the new illusions splitting out of the old right before it actually vanishes. Also, most things that create an illusionary double on someone elses turn should MAYBE allow you to take a 5' step as long as you leave one double occupying the square you left (IE you step out of them, rather than them stepping out of you, so you can mix yourself up with them. Anything that happens on your own turn is easy enough to handle by saying that any movement you do during your own turn can be mixed up chronologically with the double's creation such that it isn't clear which way the doubles actually went or you at least shuffle around through them.

"These doubles appear in any square adjacent to the slain illusory double, making it appear as if the shards of the old double created these new ones. This maneuver is a supernatural ability."

How's that?

Nice and simple. It works... although maybe having them be actually feinted is a bit much, since you not only have a counter, but a reduction of the action required to feint.

And it IS only a 1st level maneuver. Changed to "You can only initiate this maneuver when you are targeted by any ability that makes an attack roll or combat maneuver check against you. Immediately make a feint maneuver against the attacker; if you succeed, instead of becoming feinted the creature’s current attack automatically fails. If your feint attempt fails, you are attacked normally."

Isn't his much nastier than the Setting Sun maneuver that lets you change places with an attacker (maybe only if they miss?)? And I THINK that one might be higher level, although I don't know. And it MIGHT be a stance, not sure. But maybe that is a really weak Setting Sun maneuver?

Not sure, but if it's a stance, at least it has the advantage of being active for multiple rounds. I could remove the prone bit, what do you think?

Should probably be a comma between "beats" and "one hop". Also you are much less verbose than in the other place where you have redirection about what "legal target" means. In addition I would consider making this an 8th level stance, since it gives you up to 9 free hits against non-AoO, non-Cleaving enemies in combination with Nontuple Mirage.

Just because you can't distinguish them doesn't mean you can't get lucky and strike true anyway. In addition to that, you can't get Nontuple Mirage is 8th level too, so you can't do that combo until 8th level maneuvers anyway. If you're going to use all your maneuvers prior to 8th level to set up this combo that can be easily run dry (you'll have to take an action to refresh your maneuvers eventually) and stopped by a simple Fireball spell or a True Seeing spell, well be my guest .

"Assume" should be "maintain". Also, forget what I said about nobody trading away that 5th level boost. This is better, although, of course, it also takes up your stance.

Error fixed, and yes, both the boost and the stance have their purposes. You can't do the nutty "no target him" stance while in this one .

I know both spellings are good for the animal, but for this phrase isn't it usually rendered "Playing Possum"? I don't know that it would bother anyone else than me, and it is a very minor detail, but I thought I would mention it.Actually, a Barghest (for instance) is fairly likely to take "hostile actions" against a foe it considers dead if it thinks it can spare the time in the middle of combat. Also, anyone who wants to make it harder to revivify you might try to ash/Disintegrate a corpse, and, of course, if written CORRECTLY, this spell would be a really good way to trick a really serious foe into wasting a round on casting Soul Bind. For bonus points, you could even have the caster of a Soul Bind get false information leading them to believe that the spell had gone off perfectly unless they somehow checked either your "corpse" or the gem. Usually I think casters automatically know if a spell worked or not (so you can't fake getting Charmed for instance, although if you Slippery Mind out of a Charm you could fake at that point).

Changed to Possum, I looked it up and I think you're right. This maneuver is all about tricking you. Changed to the following for hilarity. "If you succeed, that creature believes you are dead and will take actions against you accordingly."

[/quote]Eh, should this be an ENEMY? As it stands, this works on your allies actions. Even with the limits on the types of actions you can take, this might be stepping on Diamond Mind's Quicksilver Motion's toes since it is an Immediate (and the timing is such that it might as well JUST be an immediate as long as it isn't your turn), and it avoids AoOs. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, but I would think that they would be closer together than 5 whole maneuver levels.[/quote]

Nerfed it to moving half your movement speed and it only allows you to use it if your opponent takes a standard or full round action.

Looks good, but why -8 rather than the more usual -10? I am all for non-standard if there is a half-way excuse, but I would like to hear your reasoning.

"Feinting is a standard action. To feint, make a Bluff check opposed by a Sense Motive check by your target. The target may add his base attack bonus to this Sense Motive check. If your Bluff check result exceeds your target’s Sense Motive check result, the next melee attack you make against the target does not allow him to use his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any). This attack must be made on or before your next turn.

When feinting in this way against a nonhumanoid you take a -4 penalty. Against a creature of animal Intelligence (1 or 2), you take a -8 penalty. Against a nonintelligent creature, it’s impossible.

Feinting in combat does not provoke attacks of opportunity."

I picked -8 because that's the penalty for feinting a creature of animal intelligence, which is removed by this stance. I replaced Animal Intelligence and nonhuman with mindless, essentially.

Hmmmmm... might want to define "sudden strike" here, or at least refer to a page in some book... also, is it just me, or would this be very very useful against Falling Anvil users since a lot of their counters have a bit of a downside? Not that I expect you to write for compatability with everyone, and it isn't necessarily a BAD thing, but I thought I would point it out.

As far as I am aware, Sudden Strike damage does not exist in Pathfinder (though it does in 3.5 on the Ninja). Since it does not exist in Pathfinder, I decided that Sudden Strike damage is like Sneak Attack damage, except the victim must be suffering the effects of a combat maneuver (feint / grapple / pinned / dirty tricks / etc) to take the sudden strike damage. If you use the discipline in 3.5, you'd need a different term.

Auto-Feint on a hit? Pretty powerful.

Braggarts play for keeps.

So... this is useless until one class level after you can first get it? Seems to need a "(Minimum 1)" clause. Also, it seems to me that by the time you can get 2 doubles, you would probably have access to a maneuver that gives you 4 or something... then again, redundant back-ups are good, especially with no recovery methods availible in your setting.

I ... didn't even notice that. Touche! I reduced it to five ranks. Yeah, you get one more image at max level ... but oh well .

Well, I don't know what "Dirty Tricks combat maneuver" is, since I am not familiar with pathfinder, but I will say that at higher levels this is going to turn into an automatic success on the Dirty Tricks if you hit in the first place. That might or might not be a bad thing for a level 1 maneuver.

Combat Maneuver is the term Pathfinder gives to special attacks that can be performed in combat. They're completely unrelated to martial maneuvers. Similar in name, but unrelated. Here's what it does, from the Pathfinder SRD

"You can attempt to hinder a foe in melee as a standard action. This maneuver covers any sort of situational attack that imposes a penalty on a foe for a short period of time. Examples include kicking sand into an opponent’s face to blind him for 1 round, pulling down an enemy’s pants to halve his speed, or hitting a foe in a sensitive spot to make him sickened for a round. The GM is the arbiter of what can be accomplished with this maneuver, but it cannot be used to impose a permanent penalty, and the results can be undone if the target spends a move action. If you do not have the Improved Dirty Trick feat or a similar ability, attempting a dirty trick provokes an attack of opportunity from the target of your maneuver.

If your attack is successful, the target takes a penalty. The penalty is limited to one of the following conditions: blinded, dazzled, deafened, entangled, shaken, or sickened. This condition lasts for 1 round. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD, the penalty lasts 1 additional round. This penalty can usually be removed if the target spends a move action. If you possess the Greater Dirty Trick feat, the penalty lasts for 1d4 rounds, plus 1 round for every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD. In addition, removing the condition requires the target to spend a standard action."

I am often of two minds about the "adjacent to" mechanic, since it doesn't take into account bigger creatures with longer reach nearly as well as I would like... then again, that may be intentional. I just seems like if you are anything other than medium or small a lot of ToB is going to be slightly "off"...

My opinion of this orobably depends entirely on how you handle maneuvers outside combat.

I'd say it works like Walk on Air, where it was specifically designed to work out of combat. There's a clause under stances, I think, that says stances can be assumed and maintained outside of combat. What do you think about it then?

And I have to say, thanks so much for being so through with the discipline, Draco! I can only hope you and others like you will have time to look at everything I do ^_^.

"You're waiting for a train. A train that will take you far away. You know where you hope the train will take you, but you can't be sure. But it doesn't matter because we'll be together."